Valentine’s Day always falls in the middle of New York Fashion Week which means for the past 4 years we have been working non-stop and unable to have a proper romantic date.. that is until this year. Kevin surprised me last weekend by clearing my work schedule and whisking me away to Glenmere Mansion, originally built in 1911 as a home for Robert Goelet, for an “early” Valentine’s Day celebration.

We have recently been learning about the world of Scotch. I love the simplicity of a single pour drink if it’s at our studio in New York, or on a weekend getaway, so I don’t have to think about mixers and recipes. I’ll never forget the first time I tried Scotch- it was on our honeymoon on Safari in South Africa. We arose before the sun and had a quick breakfast before hoping in the jeeps- on the breakfast bar, oatmeal with a topping of scotch. What?! I mean.. this blows the “before noon” rule right out of the water. Come to find out, it was a delicious tradition and on those very cold sleepy mornings, just the right thing to warm you up ever so.

Fast forward a few years and we have been slowly learning and enjoying the lessons in scotch. We recently did an amazing flight taste tasting with our friends from The Glenlivet at Highlands, a Scottish experience gastro pub in the West Village. When Kevin was planning this romantic getaway he took inspiration from that evening and bought us a bottle of The Glenlivet 15 which he knows I’d like because of its sweeter notes of almonds and spice. I love it’s distilled in French oak which makes it creamy and rich which I prefer, as a woman, to the other smokier varieties. The best part about gifting and receiving a beautiful scotch if you’re a man or woman is that you get to share it together, what each person individually smells and tastes and untimely make memories wrapped in the beautiful glow of golden honey.

So here we are, at the historic Glenmere Mansion, a place to cradle us away from the noise of the city and to spend the hours snuggled by the fire with the winter air breaking outside as we sip on scotch to keep us warm. This amazing experience was made possible by our friends at The Glenlivet~

“Last year I decided to educate myself about Scotch, something I knew very little about. When I went to the wine shop on our street I asked for some recommendations for where to start, and they suggested The Glenlivet 12 as a starter. Jamie and I both really enjoyed it, and knowing her palate I knew the 15 year would be a great next move.”

The Glenlivet was the original Scotch, supporting an idea we believe in strongly, to be an original.

Why “The” Glenlivet?: The Glenlivet is known for its smooth and elegant whiskies. It was renowned and other distillers copied and took advantage of this fact including copying their name! George Smith’s (the founder) sons and heir went into a lengthy battle to secure the rights to be known as THEGLENLIVET to differentiate it from the copy cats.

All their spirits are created using a natural spring water from the same spring they founded the company with in 1824

This region of Scotch making is known for producing very smooth, easy and soft spirits.

On the rocks or straight up? It’s a personal preference but how they described it to me was that by drinking it room temperature you have a fuller, robust flavor. They likened it to a walk in the forest- the smell of the forest after a freshly fallen snow is more muted as opposed to its natural state, or after a warm rain (adding water).

Of course there is the romantic idea of Paris – long walks on pristine boulevards, glasses of wine with views of the Seine, and picking up antique treasures at street markets, but for us Paris is so much more. A orgasmic array of beautiful light, a history of our idolized artists, a period of slowing down and reflecting on our work. If New York is loud and proud and fast, then Paris is slow and quiet and introspective…we are newlyweds, we are two artists living and working together, creating ideas and sharing dreams while growing our vision and sometimes we like to enjoy a weekend away, to recharge our souls, a weekend in Paris.

I know, a chateau can hardly be called a hideaway but that is how it felt staying at this 1892 mansion in the sixteenth arrondissement: the Saint James Paris. Tucked away behind old stone walls that seemed to hug you as you walked through the grand entrance, it was like a childhood dream to stay in a place so whimsical and Parisian. A porthole to the city, a Alice and Wonderland seeming staircase, a glowing aura of magical things to come. From the roaring fireplace when you walk through the doors to the resident cat who will paw at the window until you let him in, this place floats in my mind as a safe haven tucked away in a corner of Paris…

For Valentine’s Day Kevin surprised me with a romantic weekend getaway down to Virgin Gorda in the B.V.I. One of the challenges when you are a working couple is to maintain personal time together outside work, which is a fun challenge. This getaway was not about a shot list or the pressures of delivering that perfect image for a client but all about being on island time. Sipping rum cocktails, boat hopping, exploring caves, eating the catch of the day, and forgetting time on our own private beach.

Thrilling adventure! I have come to learn that flying small planes means the pilot can angle the plane for you for better photographs! Also, my new go to flying shoes that feel like pillows on your feet are by Charles Philip.

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Visual storytellers Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg unfold tales of fashion, travel, truth and beauty. Through photographs, videos, and their own invention, Cinemagraphs, they create new worlds — from their New York City workspace, Ann Street Studio. May you find something here to inspire you.